Lin Yun's eyes lit up. EDA! Of course! How could he have overlooked something so crucial?
EDA, or Electronic Design Automation, was the lifeblood of the modern semiconductor industry. It was a category of software tools that engineers used to design and analyze electronic systems, most importantly, integrated circuits (ICs). In essence, EDA was to chip design what word processors were to writing or what CAD software was to architecture.
On Earth, the EDA market was dominated by a trio of powerful companies: Synopsys, Cadence, and Mentor Graphics (now part of Siemens). These companies held a virtual monopoly, their software suites costing hundreds of thousands, even millions, of dollars.
Their tools were incredibly complex, reflecting the immense complexity of modern chip design. Getting locked out of access to these tools was a death sentence for any aspiring semiconductor company. It was a carefully guarded technological kingdom, and these three were the kings.
Lin Yun understood the importance of EDA all too well. He knew that without robust EDA tools, his dream of building a semiconductor industry from scratch in this world was practically impossible. Even the most basic chip required meticulous design and simulation before a single wafer could be processed.
He recalled the situation back on Earth. The EDA giants wielded immense power. Countries poured billions into trying to break their stranglehold, yet the monopoly persisted. It was a testament to the sheer complexity and sophistication of these software suites.
They weren't just programs; they were entire ecosystems, encompassing decades of research and development. Trying to replicate them from scratch was a monumental task.
Lin Yun knew that in this alternate world, EDA tools were likely in their infancy, if they existed at all in a commercial form. This was his chance to not just catch up but potentially leapfrog the competition. He could introduce advanced EDA concepts from his original time, tailored to the specific needs of this world's nascent technology landscape.
The system mall offered a complete EDA suite, a treasure trove of knowledge and tools that would take decades to develop independently.
Without hesitation, Lin Yun's finger hovered over the "Buy" button. The price was steep: 400,000 TP. A significant chunk of his accumulated points, but a small price to pay for such a critical technology. He took a deep breath and confirmed the purchase.
[400,000 TP has been deducted. Please enter the DDL space to retrieve the product.]
Lin Yun also found another good thing in the system mall, the CNC system. Although he had already mastered the basic theory of CNC, he was still lack of a good control system.
The CNC system in the mall was rated as a level 3 technology, which was far ahead of the current technology on this planet. He could build his own CNC machine in the DDL space or improve the CNC lathe in the market.
The price was also not cheap, 200,000 TP for the basic version.
"Buy it!" Lin Yun said without any hesitation.
[200,000 TP has been deducted. Please enter the DDL space to retrieve the product.]
Looking at the remaining 700,000 odd TP, Lin Yun felt heartache. This was the biggest purchase for him. However, when he thought of the benefits these technologies could bring, he no longer feel bad. After all, he was well aware of the difficulty and complexity of them. With his knowledge, it was almost impossible for him to create it from scratch on his own.
Lin Yun didn't stop at that. He quickly searched for a search engine technology and found the best product, costing him another 100,000 TP.
After buying everything, Lin Yun dismissed the system panel and entered the DDL space, retrieving the knowledge.
***
The next day, Lin Yun was ready. He had spent countless hours in the DDL space, absorbing the intricacies of the EDA suite and the CNC control system. He had even started playing around with the search engine algorithms, a project he knew would take time but held immense potential.
He said goodbye to his parents, the familiar pang of leaving home softened by the excitement of what lay ahead. "Mom, Dad. I'll be in West Lake City for a while."
"Be careful, son," Wang Chulan said, her eyes a mixture of pride and worry. "And don't work too hard."
"I won't, Mom," Lin Yun promised, giving her a hug.
Lin Canghai clapped him on the back. "Go, Son. Be careful on the way."
"I will, Dad," Lin Yun said with a smile.
The train ride served as a transition period, a journey from the familiar past to the unknown future. With no smartphone or laptop to occupy his time, Lin Yun could only enjoy the passing scenery.
An hour later, Lin Yun finally arrived in West Lake City. Compared to the Hangzhou he knew in his past life, this city was relatively undeveloped. Most of the high-rise buildings were roughly 20 to 30 stories tall and the greenery here was top-notch.
Lin Yun hailed a taxi to the Cloud Technology office in the city center. The office was located on the ninth floor of a building called Blue Lake.
The taxi pulled up to the curb in front of the Blue Lake building. Lin Yun paid the driver and stepped out, taking a moment to look up at the modern facade. It wasn't the tallest building in the city, but it exuded a quiet confidence that he found appealing.
He walked through the revolving doors and into the lobby, a clean, well-lit space with a few potted plants and a modern art piece on one wall. A young woman with a friendly smile sat behind the reception desk.
"Good morning," Lin Yun said as he approached her. "I have an appointment with the Cloud Technology company on the ninth floor."
"Are you Mr.Lin?" the receptionist asked.
"Yes," Lin Yun nodded and handed her his ID card.
The receptionist checked it briefly and returned the card to him. "Here's a visitor badge, Mr.Lin. Just take the elevator up."
"Thank you," Lin Yun said, taking the badge and clipping it to his shirt.
The elevator ride was swift and silent. As he ascended, Lin Yun felt a sense of anticipation building within him. This was it—his first time seeing the physical manifestation of his company.